Sudanese cardinal calls on government to protect human rights

Khartoum, Sudan, Feb 5, 2007 / 02:06 pm (CNA).- The Archbishop of Khartoum in Sudan, Cardinal Gabriel Zubeir Wako, has called on the Sudanese government to defend and promote human rights in the troubled African nation.

During an ecumenical prayer service for peace, held last Monday in the Sudanese capital, the cardinal said that serious violations of human rights continue occurring in most of the Sudan, even after the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, Sudan radio reported.

Cardinal Wako pointed to the displacement of people from their homes in the northern part of the country as an example of such violations.

“When you leave a person in his home, there is peace, and when you displace a person from his home, the problems begin. This is what is happening, and a person who is not in his home, who does not have food, or clothing, or education or healthcare services, experiences problems, and that is the beginning of war,” the cardinal stated.

He also called on Christians and Muslims in Sudan to work together for the implementation of the peace agreement and for stability in the country.

In his recent discourse to the diplomatic corps, on January 8th, Pope Benedict XVI referred to the crisis in Sudan: “The drama of Darfur continues and is being extended to the border regions of Chad and the Central African Republic.”

“The international community has seemed powerless for almost four years, despite initiatives intended to bring relief to the populations in distress and to arrive at a political solution,” the Pope continued, “Only by active cooperation between the United Nations, the African Union, the governments and other interested parties will these methods achieve results. I invite all those concerned to act with determination: we cannot accept that so many innocent people continue to suffer and die in this way.”